Mechanical tanning machine



c. R'UHE. MECHANICAL TANNING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 10, 1915.

5 SHEETS-SHEET l.

Patentd Aug. 22,1916.

C. RUHE.

MECHANICAL TANNING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 10, I915.

Patented Aug. 22, 1916.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

(Mir/022 314%? abfocmeq C. RUHE.

MECHANICAL TANNING MACHINE.

7 APPLICATION -FlLED AUG. 10, 1915. 1 ,1 95,858. Patented Aug. 22, 1916.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

Queue C. RUHE.

MECHANICAL TANNING MACHINE.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5- 0 D 0 0 0 0 0 a 0 06 g g z Q 3;

" 7/ w 72' a? if y i J, L 27 W 9% J0 M I 1/11 3 t fiz/ id 22 wzezwz $1156 Patented Aug. 22, 1916.

CARLETON' none, or CLEAN, new YORK.

MECHANICAL TANNING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 22, 1916.

Application filed August 10, 1915. Serial No. 44,748. i

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CAnLE'roN Roi-In, a citizen of the United States, residing at Olean, in the county of Cattaraugus and State of New York, have invented certam new and useful Improvements in Mechanical Tanning-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in tanning vats.

An important object of the invention is to provide apparatus of the above mentioned character, which will expedite the tanning process of hides, for effecting a substantial economy in time and money and produce a leather of superior quality.

A further object of the invention is to provide apparatus of the above mentioned character, which has its elements arranged in a compact and convenient manner;

A further object of the invention is to provide means for causing the tanning solution or extract to thoroughly act upon or penetrate the hides, under treatment within the vat.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a vat embodying the invention, Fig. 2 is a similar view of a side thereof at right angles to Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a central vertical longitudinal sectional View through the vat, Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken on line H of Fig. 8, Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan view of a perforated partition, Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail section through an apertured cup and associated elements, Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view through the upper portion of a vat embodying a clifferent form of the invention, and, Fig. 8 is an enlarged elevation of a portion of a clamp, certain elements being in section.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodi ment of my invention, the numeral 15 designates horizontal beams, which are rigidly connected at'their ends, providing a frame work, for receiving an air tight casing or shell 16, preferably formed of wood. One side of this casing is provided with a door opening 17, having a door frame, embodying the upper and lower beams 15 and vertical beams 18, connected therewith, as shown. Removably mounted within the opening 17 is a door 19, shown more clearly in Fig. 4. This door has its edges preferably stepped, as shown at 20, to interfit with stepped portions of the door frame and suitable packing 21 is preferably arranged between the door and door frame toform an air tight joint when the door is closed.

Means are provided to detachably hold the door in the closed position, for effecting this air tight joint, comprising an operating screw 21, engaging within a screw-threaded sleeve 22, rigidly attached to the central portion of the exterior of the door 19. The operating screw 21 is preferably turned by a hand wheel 23, as shown. Having swiveled engagement upon the screw 21 to move longitudinally therewith is a carriage 24, provided with apertured ears 25, having pivotal connection with arms 26. These arms are provided between their ends with elongated slots 27, receiving pins 28, carried b brackets 29, which are rigidly attached to the outer surface of the door 19 near its outer edges, as shown. The pins 28 serve as pivots for the levers 26 but the slots 27 permit of the longitudinal movement of the levers 26. The outer ends of the levers 26 are adapted to enter hollow brackets 30, rigidly attached to the door frame, as shown.

From the foregoing description it is obvious that when the hand wheel 23 is rotated to effect the inward movement of the carriage 2-1, the levers 26 will move longitudinally outwardly and will at the same time turn upon pivots 28, whereby their outer ends are moved laterally outwardly for engagement with the brackets 30 and increasing the clamping contact between the door 19 and its frame or portions thereof. When the hand wheel is rotated in the opposite di rection the levers 26 are moved longitudinally inwardly and their outer ends laterally inwardly and withdrawn from within the brackets 30, whereby the door may be entirely removed.

In order that the vat may be moved from one place to another, the same has brackets 31 pivot-ally connected with the lower portion of the casing 16 to swing in a horizontal plane with relation thereto and cutterwheels 32 are pivotally connected with the brac ets 31 to turn in a horizontal plane with relation thereto. These wheels are adapted to travel upon track rails 33, as

shown.

Rigidly mounted upon the top of the casing 16 is a cover 33, forming an air tight union therewith. Arranged in the bottom of this cover is a horizontal partition 341, forming with the cover a chamber 35. The partition 31 is preferably formed of wood and is provided with openings 36, decreasing in diameter downwardly and passing from one side to the other of the partition. The partition 3 1 and its openings are preferably covered by a section of sheet metal 37, having openings 38 formed therein coinciding with the openings 36. This section of sheet metal is secured in place by screws 39 or the like.

The cover 33 is provided in its top with a centrally arranged preferably circular opening 40, receiving an upstanding tubular coupling 11, rigidly attached thereto by means of bolts 42 or the like and forming therewith an air tight joint. Receiving the coupling i1 is a dome or header 13, rigidly attached thereto by means of bolts 1% or the like.

The coupling 11 is provided with a depending tubular valve casing 15, having its lower end flared for forming a valve seat -16, for engagement with an upwardly closing check valve 17. This check valve is carried by a stem i8, journaled through the central portion of a spider 19 and engaging a spring 50, which serves to seat the valve.

As more clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4,

the casing 16 has a bottom 51, and spaced a substantial distance from this bottom is an upper floor 52, supported by members or bars 53, and providing a chamber 5i. Arranged within this chamber is a header or shell 55, having connection with horizontal pipes 56, connected with vertical pipe sections 57, extending upwardly through openings in the floor 52 for communicating with the interior of the casing 16 and having their upper ends flush with the upper surface of the floor 52.

Connected with the header 55 is a suction pipe 58, having a cut off valve 59, connected therein. This suction pipe is connected with the intake end of a liquid pump 60 of any well known or preferred type. A supply pipe 61 is connected in the pipe 58 between the valve 59 and the pump 60, and also has a cut-off valve 62 connected therein. Connected with the outlet side of the liquid pump 60 is a pressure pipe 68, connected with the upper end of the dome 43 for discharging liquid therein. The pipe 63 has a check valve 6% connected therein which opens in the direction of the arrow.

The numeral 641 designates acut-off valve, connected in the pipe 63 above the valve 6% and a drain pipe 65 is connected in pipe off valve 66, connected therein, as shown.

As more clearly shown in Fig. 8, the numeral 66 designates horizontal tracks, mounted within the casing 16, near its upper end. This track supports wheels 67 pivotally connected with an open frame or carriage 68, carrying bars 69, preferably arranged in vertical staggered relation. The hides 68 are hung upon the bars 69 and are held thereby in stepped relation. It is obvious that after the hides have been placed upon the bars 69 the frame or carriage may be bodily moved into and out of the easing 16.

In Fig. 7, I have shown a slightly different form of the invention. In this figure the numeral 69 designates a horizontal partition as a whole, which is substituted for the partition 3 1. This partition embodies a lower section 70 formed of Wood and an upper metallic section 71, having apertured cups 72 therein, which are preferably arranged in staggered relation. Plaster-of- Paris 72' or other cementitious material is preferably disposed between the sections 76 and 72, as shown. Passing through the par tition 69 are fine tubes 73 communicating with the apertures in the cups 72, and with the interior of the casing 16 beneath the partition. All other parts of the apparatus remain identical with those hereinabove described.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: The door 19 is removed from the easing 16 to withdraw the frame 68. The hides 68' are hung upon the bars 67 and the frame or carriage is bodily moved along the tracks 66, into the casing 16. The door 19 is then moved to the closed position and clamped thereto by manipulation of the hand wheel 23 as hereinabove described. The valve 59 is closed and the valve 62 opened, and the pump 60 started. The tanning extract or solution, which may be of any well known or preferred type, is drawn in through the pipe 61 and discharges through pipe 63 into the dome 4:3. This tanning solution then travels downwardly and unseats the valve 17 The tanning solution then passes through the openin'gs 36 in the partition 34 and descends in contact with the hides 68. As the operation of the pump 60 continues the tanning solution-is continued to be fed into the easing 16 and completely fills it. The pump 60 is capable of subjecting the tanning solution within-the casing 16 to a substantial degree of pressure, whereby the same is forced into the hides 68, which has been found to greatly expedite the tanning process. WVhen the pressure within the casing 16 reaches a predetermined point, that will overcome the pressure of the pump 60, the valve 17 will close, thus automatically cutting off the supply of the tanning solution. After a suitable amount of the tanning solution has been fed into the casing 16 the valve 62 is closed. By opening the valve 59 while the pump 60 is operating the tanning solution is made to continuously circulate in a vertical direction from the top to the bottom, through the casing 16. Such tanning solution passes through the openings 36, the casing 16, pipe sections 57 pipes 56, header 55, pipe 58, pump 60, pipe 68, dome l3, tubular valve casing 15 and back to the opening 36. After the tanning process has been carried on for a suitable length of time it is obvious that the tanning solution may be withdrawn from the casing 16, by closing the valves 62 and 61, and having valves 59 and 65 open, the pipe 66, leading to any desired receptacle or point.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the intention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. In a tanning machine of the character described, a casing, a partition arranged in the upper portion thereof and provided with openings, apertured cups arranged within the openings, small tubes communicating with the apertures of the cups and with the casing below the partition, and means for introducing a tanning liquid into the casing above the partition.

2. In a tanning machine of the character Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Washington, D. G.

&

described, a casing having a plurality of bottoms providing a chamber therebetween, a header arranged within the chamber, draw off pipes connected with the header and leading into the lower portion of the casing at the upper bottom, a pipe connected with the header, and means to supply a tanning liquid into the upper portion of the casing.

3. In a tanning machine of the character described, an upstanding casing, a cover connected with the top of the casing and eX- tending upwardly beyond the same, a substantially horizontal partition disposed between the casing and cover and provided upon its upper surface with a plurality of cups having their upper ends open with small tubes communicating with the interior of the cups and passing through the bottom wall of the partition, means for introducing a tanning liquid into the cover above the partition, a bottom closing the lower end of the casing, a false bottom arranged near and above the first named bottom and spaced therefrom, a header disposed substantially centrally upon the first named bottom, pipes radiating from the header and having upstanding portions passing through the upper false bottom to communicate with the casing above it, a pump, a conduit connecting the intake end of the pump and the header, and a conduit connecting the outlet end of the pump with the tanning liquid supply means.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

OARLETON RUHE. lVitnesses G. L. PARKER, JAMES L. CRAWFORD.

Commissioner of Patents, 

